I'll Take What I Can
by riverx
Summary: Kristen will take all the parts of him that the other girls don't want. Kemp will take all of her.


**I of course don't own the characters or the song that inspired this.**

When Kristen heard the knock on her front door at three in the morning she knew exactly who it was. Without a moment of hesitation, she grabbed the knit cardigan that was hanging off the back of her chair and raced down to the door. She slipped the sweater on over her camisole and pajama shorts before swinging the heavy oak door open. In front of her stood Kemp Hurley in all his gorgeous 6'1 glory.

"Hey," he mustered a smile. Kristen noticed his eyes didn't match the smile. Her heart broke a little each time he showed up at her door like this.

She soundlessly led him into her kitchen. He quickly followed after he slipped off his vans; he knew her mother hated it went people wore shoes in their house. He took a seat at the kitchen counter and watched as she started making some of his favorite tea. Kemp would never admit to enjoying tea of course. He would also never admit to how much he enjoyed the fact that she knew to make tea whenever he came around either.

"Sorry, were you sleeping?" Kemp felt a little bad about showing up at her house at this hour, but this was where he always went and he knew her parents were away for the weekend.

"I was trying to," she said, covering a yawn. Kemp felt even worse.

"Geez Kris, you're exhausted!" Kemp frowned as the blonde girl tiredly rubbed her eyes.

"Don't worry 'bout me," Kristen mumbled as she poured them each a cup of tea. "Now, what happened this time?"

Kemp stared at the golden liquid in his mug for a while. Of course Kristen knew why he was at her house, especially at this hour. It was of course over a girl. Finally he looked up at her and couldn't help but crack a small smile. She had that gentle look in her eyes like she always did around him. And with her hair haphazardly thrown into a bun and her oversized cardigan sliding off her shoulder, she looked utterly adorable. If she wasn't Kristen and he wasn't Kemp he might have kissed her. He of course could never do that. Before Kemp let himself get carried away with those thoughts, he remembered why he was here.

"It was Tori Sanders," he told her, looking back down at the tea in his cup. Kristen couldn't help but frown at the name of one of Skye Hamilton's minions.

"How long?" Kristen asked, referring to how long they had been seeing each other. She tried to keep the distaste out of her voice.

Kemp shrugged. "A few weeks. Maybe two or three?"

"That's not very long."

"I guess not."

"So what happened?" Kristen asked the million dollar question she always asked.

"I don't know," he shrugged again. "She was getting too clingy. I should've seen it coming."

Kristen nodded in agreement with him. "Yeah, you should've. How many times have you been in a situation like this, Kemp?"

Kemp knew she was right. He got into too many relationships, if you could call them that, way too quickly. "I know, Kris, I know."

"I'm just saying," Kristen said. "You should put more thought into it before you get involved with a girl. Maybe you should try out an actual relationship with a girl that is good for you." _Like me._

For a brief moment she allowed herself to picture Kemp and herself in a relationship that wasn't just based on sex like all of his relationships. But that wouldn't happen. Kemp didn't go after girls like Kristen, girls who were the opposite of Alicia Rivera and Olivia Ryan. Though she was almost certain that her and Kemp could work. Massie was always telling Kristen that she was the type of girl Kemp needs. They would balance each other out, Massie would say. If only he saw her in that light. She knew that wouldn't happen though. Occasionally Kristen could thought that Kemp loved her too, but then she would remember that he was Kemp and she was Kristen. She would take what she could get though. She would even take the parts of him that the other girls didn't want. All that mattered was that she had Kemp in her life, even he was just her friend. She knew how pathetic she was.

Kristen really didn't know the reason why she dealt with Kemp and his failed relationships. She often wondered if things would be easier if she didn't listen to the boy she loved talk about his girl problems. But he was Kemp and she was Kristen. She was that person for him and she would remain that way.

Kemp looked at her with those beautiful green of his. "I don't know Kris, I can't see myself with any of the girls we know like that." _I can see myself with you though._

He watched as her grey eyes changed emotions. She glanced down for a moment before she let out a little laugh. Kemp thought it sounded like one of those laughs you let out when you're sad or crying. "Yeah, of course. It was dumb for me to think about you dating any girl seriously."

She turned around to face the sink and blinked away her tears before turning back to face him. He had walked over to where she stood in the center of the kitchen and stood in front of her. He gave her a sad smile and tucked a strand of blonde hair behind her ear.

Kristen thought Kemp couldn't possibly look more warm and inviting then he did right then. His dark hair was messy, just the way she liked it most and his maroon Briarwood athletics sweatshirt looked like the coziest thing ever. Kristen knew her suspicions were correct after burrowing that pullover hoodie a few times herself. She wanted to reach out and be in his welcoming arms.

Kemp could have kissed her right there. Kristen wasn't as short as someone of the height of Massie, but she was certainly small compared to Kemp. In that moment she reminded him of a porcelain doll. Kristen seemed so small and beautiful and delicate. But she was stronger than she looked. Heck she was stronger than he was. After all, she was his anchor, his rock.

He wanted to wrap her up in his arms and kiss her. But he couldn't do that, so instead he reached out and pulled her into a hug. She immediately responded by wrapping her arms around his torso. He rested his cheek on the top of her head and they swayed from side to side for a moment.

"Thanks," he quietly said, finally feeling at peace. He pushed Tori and all the other girls out of his mind and enjoyed the moment he was sharing with Kristen. She knew exactly what he meant. She smiled against the soft material of his sweater.

"Always," she replied, running her hands up and down his back in a soothing rhythm. He smiled. "Now c'mon, let's go watch the Hangover." His smile widened. She knew him too well.

**A/N**

**I really need to stop listening to love songs at nighttime and imagining my otps in those situations. I kinda want to do another chapter to this story but I don't know yet. Maybe let me know what you think in the comments? **

**Thanks for reading,**

**Caitlin.**


End file.
